The developmental history of the gadolinium chelates, which spans 30 years, is described, focusing, in part, on the seminal work with each of the major agents in use today. By examining this history, insight is gained into important issues of efficacy and safety, with valuable lessons to be learned from the mistakes made during this period. An overview of physicochemical characteristics and chemical structures is also provided. The review concludes with a discussion of current research directions involving this field, which is that of the intravenous contrast media for magnetic resonance, in the past 5 years.